CHAPTER XIX 



CULTURAL HINTS 



EFFICIENT and skilful pruning is half the battle in the 

 successful culture of the rose, and in the production of 

 satisfactory blooms. But this is not all. Even though 

 such pests and diseases as aphis, grub, and mildew have been 

 kept at bay, constant attention must be paid to the rose-beds 

 during the few critical weeks which immediately precede the full 

 development of the flowers. 



The important operation of disbudding, for instance, should not 

 be neglected by the amateur who proposes to exhibit, nor indeed 

 should he fail to practise it to some extent if his object be merely 

 the production of fine blooms for decorative purposes in his own 

 garden. If a healthy, vigorous rose-tree be examined it will be 

 found that there is a superabundance of both flower-buds and 

 leaf-stems. This is bountiful Nature's way, but from the expert 

 rosarian's point of view she is too generous. If all shoots and 

 buds were left to develop naturally the result would be disastrous 

 to the fulfilment of our hopes. The bushes and standards would 

 develop into masses of weak wood, little better than a thicket, 

 from which light and air are excluded. The true policy, therefore, 

 is to disbud. This operation, which consists in the removal of 

 superfluous shoots and buds, should be carried out by degrees. 

 Where two or three shoots are growing nearly close together, 

 and are pointing inwards towards the centre of the bush, two out 

 of the three should be dispensed with either by pinching them 

 out with the thumb and finger or by cutting them out with a 

 knife. 



If prize-winning blooms are sought for, not more than one bud 

 should be left at the end of a shoot, Some varieties, such as 



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